Mark Bezos, volunteer firefighter (TED Talk): Making a Difference

This I thought was simple and inspiring. "Don't wait. Don't wait until you make your first million to make a difference in somebody's life. If you have something to give, give it now [...] Not every day is going to offer a chance to save somebody's life, but every day offers an opportunity to affect one."

Christian73 saidFire fighters in general are awesome people. I lost my cousin, Tim Stackpole, in the 9/11 rescue efforts.

Very sorry to hear that. Hits home. My late mother lived in a town in New Jersey that was close to the Sandy Hook - Manhattan ferry. There were many folks from Canter-Fitzgerald who lived in her town and were lost on 9/11. My mother wa so moved by their loss that she donated to college funds for the kids who lost a parent. She got some hand written thank you notes, and that was also moving.

Christian73 saidFire fighters in general are awesome people. I lost my cousin, Tim Stackpole, in the 9/11 rescue efforts.

Very sorry to hear that. Hits home. My late mother lived in a town in New Jersey that was close to the Sandy Hook - Manhattan ferry. There were many folks from Canter-Fitzgerald who lived in her town and were lost on 9/11. My mother wa so moved by their loss that she donated to college funds for the kids who lost a parent. She got some hand written thank you notes, and that was also moving.

Thanks, Socal. He was a great guy. It sounds like your mother did wonderful thing for so many kids.

This is great advice, especially when making a difference (no matter how big or small) is done without any expectation of reciprocity or a thanks. Although I'm not a fan of those pesky e-mail forwards from family and friends, the video reminded me of this one which I was able to find online:

The Lady And The Cookies"A young lady was in an airport waiting for her flight. Since she had some time to spare she brought along a book and a bag of cookies. She sat down opened the book and the bag of cookies. A man was seated right beside her. After sometime she picked up a cookie from the bag. The man did the same. This irritated her and she was thinking, "how dare this man."

But because she did not want to cause a scene she let it pass. After awhile she again picked another cookie and the man did the same. She picked one and the man did the same. She was really getting mad now but again she had to control her temper. Finally there was one piece left and she was wondering what the man would do. She did not have to wait long. The man took the cookie, and broke it in half. He ate the other half leaving the other for her.

She almost exploded but managed to curb her temper. Finally her flight was called. Still fuming from her experience she went into the plane and took her seat. She opened her bag to look for something when she noticed that she still had her bag of cookies. Untouched and unopened. Then she realized that she had forgotten that her cookies were in her bag. She was eating from the man's bag of cookies. And to think that she was mad and irritated. And to think that she wanted to get mad at the man for his lack of manners. And to think that the man shared the last cookie. He did not say anything; he just broke the last cookie in half and left. She realized that she would never be able to explain what she had done.

And what she felt. She felt so stupid because she realized that he not she was sharing the cookies. She wanted to apologize but the man was no longer there with her. According to the story there are four things we will never recover. A stone after it is thrown. The word after it is said. The occasion after its loss. And the time after it is gone.

I always have this thing in my head that says that every opportunity that we have is a chance to do better. Whatever we are facing we are faced with choices and possibilities and it is up to us what we do. And what we do reflects the kind of people we truly are. Not the ones that we project, not the ones that we try to be, but the truth that lies deep within ourselves. The truth that we know.

When you throw a stone it will never come back and stones can come in many shapes and sizes. Sometimes we throw small ones, others we heave with great difficulty but we throw them anyway and once we do so we shall never be able to get them back. Let us all be careful with the words we use. They tell a lot. Let us be careful with the way we use our words. They reveal the kind of persons we are. Let us be careful with the manner in which we use our words.

Words are not weapons, but tools. They should heal and not create wounds. Our words reveal the kind of people we are. And once we say those words we can never retrieve them. They shall be forever released and no matter what we do they shall remain that way. It is the same with moments. We are all given opportunities day by day. Opportunities to do better or worse. Everyday we are given the chance to remedy a wrong, to apologize, to forgive, to do better, to be kind and gentle. Everyday we are given the chance to correct what is wrong and uphold what is right.

And today is a window, a door to something better. What we do with this occasion, with this moment is up to us. Lessons present themselves if we are able to see them. And if we cannot then it becomes a loss. An opportunity wasted. Someone once said that "today is precious that is why it is called the present." We may think we may have all the time in the world but we do not. How do we spend our time? Do we spend it like that young woman who was bitter and angry? Or do we spend our time like that man who in spite of what happened managed to break the cookie in half and share it with the woman?

How do we spend our hours and minutes? What do we think about? What are we planning? What is most precious to us that we spend most of our time thinking about it? What do we do with our time? There are things that we can never take back so let us be careful with what we throw at people and what we say and do to them. They show so much and reveal a lot. Take the moment to do what is kind and right. Share the time with those you love."

dsmith123 saidThis is great advice, especially when making a difference (no matter how big or small) is done without any expectation of reciprocity or a thanks. Although I'm not a fan of those pesky e-mail forwards from family and friends, the video reminded me of this one which I was able to find online: